The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1887-03-05
ESCAPE of an Old Jail Bird.

Sheriff Mackey on Tuesday evening re-
ceived a postal card on which was printed
an offer of a reward of $50 for the return of
J. w. Baker, horse thief to the Jail at
Alexandria, Va, from which he had es-
capped the night before. The manner in
which he effected his escape was not stated,
but it was afterwards learned that the pris-
oner secured his liberty by the use of
wooden keys. At least this is the explana-
tiun given by the Virginia authorities
Baker will be remembered by many OF our
readers ~ the aged man who was arrest ell
several months since at Red Mill bridge,
one mile from Elkton by Deputy Sheriff
Harvey Mackey while in possession of a
horse and buggy which he had hired from
livery dealer Of Alexandria, Va, q few
days before and not taken the trouble to re-
turn. Baker when arrested at fist gave
his name as Williams. The team was iden
titled by the owner and Baker AS the person
who had hired it. He consented to accom-
pany Detective McDevitt Of Washington to
Virginia without rsquisition. The deputy
sheriff received $50 for apprehending him
At that time and it is not likely that he will
como this way and allow him an oppor-
tunity of making the same amount again.
Baker was discovered to have been an
old hand at the business Of hiring teams
and not returning them. He was identified
as the person who thus obtained team be-
longing to Branson Slack, liveryman of
Oxford Pa. He WAS persuaded while III the
Alexandria Jail to inform MIR. Slack of the
whereabouts of his team. and it was recov-
cred at Jersey City. A livery dealer of
Wilmington, Del, also identified Baker as
the person Who hired team from him in
November 1885, and never returned it,
Bakers counsel promised the Wilmington
man while the latter was at Alexandria, to
inform him where his team could I've found
but never did 80. On the morning after
Bakers escape from Jail, Sheriff Mackey
received letter from the Wilmington liv-
eryilan who had not then heard OF the oc-
currence. The deputy sheriff had been to
Alexandria about week before to attend
Bakers trial which was postponed Oh
count Of the alleged illness VI the prisoner,
and tho liveryman knowing OF this fact
asked the sheriff to inform him of the
matter. The Wilmington man appeared to
have An impression that there was some
thing crooked about Virginia justice. He
wrote that in Decen Der the case was continu-
ed because the States Attorney was sick, in
January on account of the illness of the
prisoners counsel, and in February they
. ,,ri, uiUb Az h.
sheriff had been at Alexandria Ii. desired
to know what he thought of the affair.
When the Wilmingtouian received the
letter from the sheriff in reply stating that
the old prisoner had walked out of jail as
above related he probably doubted the
simon pureness Of Virginia justice. The
following is u description Of Baksr:( He is
white man about 5 feet, 9 or 10 inches in
height-with smooth face and Roman nose.
He stoops when walking, has u high fore
head, his hair is nearly white, and has a
clerical look. In conversation he talks
slowly. He is between 81 and TO years of
age, and weighs between l55 and 100
pounds.
acquisitions from the governors of both
Delaware and Pennsylvania were i'll the
hands of the Virginia authorities for him in
case Of his acquital at Alexandria.
A special to the Baltimore Sun dated
Thursday states that about o'clock
that day a horse was ridden off from Berry
vile, Virginia. The thief ALI old man was
seen on hi, way to Hagerstown, Md, but
has not been caught. The horse was
hitched while the owner was attending
sale in Berryvile, and the thief rode off in
the presence of several people. While
| there are dou btless large number of old
men in Virginia, we would not be back
ward in wagering that this particular old
man Is our old, cool, shrewd, close -mouthed
friend Baker.
A Picnic for Ihe Economical!
The chance of getting strictly tirst-c class
clothing At such absurdly low prices that
it will pay to buy them for next seasons
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